iPad Mini Wifi version: Review and Recommendation

My iPad Mini: Wi-fi Version Review

iPad mini in landscape orientation

Weight and Feel of the tablet

I was hesitant to get the iPad full large version, since one(1) it is heavy, two(2) hard to handle with a single hand.  But, with the iPad mini, I was right away impressed by the weight and beautiful design it has.  Even though it doesn't have a Retina Display, I still like its impressive display output and an advantage of longer battery life, compared to iPad with Retina Display.

iPad Portrait orientation

Battery Life

Battery life of iPad mini is significantly very impressive.  With minimal use (1-2 hrs a day), I only recharge once a week.  With heavy use, I need to charge it after 8-10 hrs of constant use for games such as Real Racing 3.

With movie, audio, the iPad mini charge lasted longer.  Also, the unit does not heat up as oppose to Galaxy S3, on internet browsing, where the back heats up after a few minutes of browsing.

speaker is only found at the bottom, with lightning port

Sound

The sound is in stereo, and is quite good coming from a small device.  It does not sound like it came from a tin can.  Although, the problem I have with the sound is it only comes out from the bottom of iPad mini in portrait mode.  Unlike Samsung's tablets that have their speakers on both sides in landscape mode.

I'm sure Apple thought of it, that when people watch a video; they do it in landscape mode.  Maybe they will have left and right speakers in later releases, that is just typical Apple strategy to make people to upgrade on their later releases.

Reference of iPad Mini to a sharpie and ballpen

Findings

The iPad Mini is a nice tablet to hold, light weight and sturdy.  Display is good enough, I think there are better display out there, but using the current iPad Mini does not result in any complaint on my part.  I can read my comics and books without any problems, since its size is equivalent to a standard paper notebook.  In fact, the case I bought looked like a plain notebook, and can be placed on a table unnoticed by people if I closed the front cover.

The only disappointment I have with iPad mini, is its processor.  It at times loads a bit slow.  Also, the download isn't multiple.  I notice, I can only download one at a time. Either it be a application, or a podcast, or a YouTube video.

Strong point of the iPad Mini, is its long battery life.  It really is an impressive to only charge once or twice a week on minimal use of podcast viewing, surfing the web.

iPad Mini case with cover

Recommendation

I recommend getting the 32gb (32 Giga-byte) version rather 16gb.  I was planning to get just the 16gb version, but it was out of stock.  Good thing the 16gb was out of stock and I got the 32gb version, since iPad mini does not have a memory card expansion slot support.  I could be deleting contents more frequently than I ever want to on my videos and files, if I got the 16gb version.

I have been using my iPad Mini for a month now.  I constantly download my podcast in HD, and placed some music and movies, my iPad mini 32gb is already almost full.

Although, if you only plan to put e-books and mp3s on your iPad mini, then a 16gb won't be a problem.  Good luck finding a 16gb, since most only want to try iPad and probably already bought that 16gb you want.

Another recommendation I have is pick a good case to protect your iPad.  Its price is equivalent to a laptop (P16,000 above), shouldn't you protect it?  iPad case prices ranges from P1,200 to P5,000 or more.

I haven't regret getting an iPad Mini.  Except maybe at times when I want free apps, that are not available in Apple Store.

Microsoft Surface looks good

Okay, so this is not yet available in the market.  I just saw Microsoft Surface unboxing... nice... now if Google did concentrate on a tablet with an attachable keyboard, instead of a Google chrome book, then it would have worked.. again their thinking way ahead where people have internet access everywhere, which is not the case, and having WiFi and mobile data-network always on, drains the battery pretty fast.. the cloud as a storage, back-up and restore is way to go, and not the one where we are always required to be connected to the internet...

Anyway, back to the Surface, it looks cool, and different from other tablets.  I know there is the Transformer tablet from Asus.  But this is Microsoft we are talking about, it will probably replace the netbook, it has a full USB port, just one.  With that port, you can connect an external drive (DVD, Hard Drive, Flash Disk, memory card reader, your camera).  So this is the next step for Microsoft, and I can definitely see myself using this device in the future.  Hey, it has office software and a cool flat keyboard, productivity on a tablet, here we come!

I will probably wait for the 2nd generation or later of this product.  But I really think the netbook age is over, because of this new product.